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why no love for e.m's

rockhouse

rockhouse

Registered
5Years
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Messages
393
Location
essex
every one on here seems to be into the latest machines
why no love for e.m machines
if i could find one i would love a 1961 williams double barrel
other ones
1967 gotleib melody
1977 gotleib jacks open
1978 gotleib hit the deck
how about multi-ball from 1955 bally balls-a-poppin
:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
 
I tried an EM, but it didn't do it for me at all. The game play was so simple, and the sounds (bells ringing) more annoying than adding to the experience. I did like the artwork though :thumbs: I guess it might come down to the era of games that you grew up with - for me that was 90's DMD games, and those are the ones that I enjoy the most.
 
JT. said:
I tried an EM, but it didn't do it for me at all. The game play was so simple, and the sounds (bells ringing) more annoying than adding to the experience. I did like the artwork though :thumbs: I guess it might come down to the era of games that you grew up with - for me that was 90's DMD games, and those are the ones that I enjoy the most.
Click to expand...
as above.

But if i had enough space i'd love a couple of EM's to add variety.
 
I think I will buy one at some point. Probably mid 70s though and not one with a weird bottom end (ooerr missus).
 
Id have one if i could have a collection of 5 games or more for variety, problem is for me just far too simple and slow to want to keep one for long. Be great in a big collection for variety though.
 
The main issues as I see it ....

Most collectors/members on here fall into the 30-50ish age bracket - so EMs are not something they have fond memories of playing.

Maintenance/repair of them can be baffling to owners more used to electronics.

For players used to modern games they can feel incredibly slow, and of course the rulesets are generally simple.

Now this is fine as they make a welcome change of pace and can be thoroughly enjoyable, however from my experience of owning a few you rarely settle in for a 'session' on one ..... you have 1 or 2 games now and again for variety, but they just do not hold your attention like a modern game....... And with this in mind it's hard to justify a slot in the collection if space is limited ...as it is for most of us. When I have had an EM it has been the first on the chopping block as soon as space is needed.

That said they have a glorious charm of their own, often look great, and some have some very weird and wonderful layouts. They also go down well with non pinhead visitors who often feel overwhelmed and confused by modern games, but like the simplicity of an EM.
 
Owning an EM appeals to me, I'd like to learn how all the gubbins works and fix one up. Gameplay wise I really like the idea of a pop bumper between the flippers - never played one but seems random. I don't have anything specific in mind as long as its a manufacturer and machine that ronsplooter has never heard of ;)
 
did you ever just miss out on a pin
my pinball in april had this advert
Was contacted by someone recently who is looking to sell 2 old Gottlieb EM games. Diamond Jack and MIBS. They aren't my thing, so i offered to place a listing here in case someone else is interested.

£100 ono each They should be treated as project games requiring restoration and tlc. I have no idea if they work or not.

would have snapped his hand off at that price by the time i see the ad
they were gone ho hum such is life:(
 
I quite like em's myself. Which is why we're all different. I have one in pieces a fake one and am just trying to get working a Nautilus. Hopefully before our next league meet on the 19th.
I love the mechanics of them.
 
think we are on cross paths meant being by rad;)
still that make it better as the grease cant dry up:thumbs:
 
I think there is a general misconception that em's are slow, sluggish and boring……..they can be often due to how they are set up and if they have been worked on.

I have had every era of pinballs and whilst I love my modern Sterns, I have a soft spot for em's.

I have personally found for me the best players are the Gottliebs from 1950 - 1955, the so called golden era.

I have never even seen or played one on location but I read up on them and took the plunge and imported one from USA, followed by another…….

Again, when set up right these games are addictive as this era had multiple ways to win which means you change strategy ball to ball and games are so varied and different.

Also this era had the jackpot specials and double awards as they skirted pretty close to gambling devices.

For example the biggest Gottlieb jackpot is on 1955 Sweet Add A Line. Complete the game and it fires off 26 loud crackerjack knocks which is 26 replays and would have been collected at the bar.

Very addictive game and I haven't even come close to getting the jackpot.

Also you have to learn to nudge and my play on TWD improves after a session on the 50's games;)
 
Not a great fan of EM's due to the lack of depth in game play (Whoa Nellie is quite boring IMO) That doesn't mean I don't like playing them it's just that I'd always prefer to play a modern one (1998 onwards modern? Erm.) I really view some of the old EM's as pieces of art, a snapshot of history that's tells a story of what was going on in that year.
 
I really like EM's and especially my Fireball :D A good game to play with my mates as it's a great leveller :thumbs:

IMG_5923.JPG

IMG_5925.JPG

I'd also really like Wizard and would quite like to own a Gottlieb Atlantis....if anyone has one to sell then let me know :thumbs:
 
First games I played were early electronic late 70s so played E/Ms retro spectively. Always seemed to be loads in Spain and in Wales for some reason! They have a different feel and look but to a lot of non pinheads are what a pinball machine should look and sound like. Unlike say system 11 or 80s Bally where I would like all of them I am very choosy on E/Ms and 9/10 its the looks I go for though I appreciate why certain games are more appreciated by EM fans gameplay wise

Current EMs
Gott BUCKAROO
Bally KING TUT
Bally VAMPYRE
Bally WIZARD!


wiz.jpg
 
I wouldn`t mind one as they are a lot cheaper than the dmd era games and for the history, but the mechanics underneath scare me to death, at least dmd machines give you clues where to look when things go wrong
 
Tucks said:
Not a great fan of EM's due to the lack of depth in game play (Whoa Nellie is quite boring IMO) That doesn't mean I don't like playing them it's just that I'd always prefer to play a modern one (1998 onwards modern? Erm.) I really view some of the old EM's as pieces of art, a snapshot of history that's tells a story of what was going on in that year.
Click to expand...

There is more depth on the pre 1955 Gottliebs for sure.

And some games will really test a player. Diamond Lill with reverse flippers and shooting loops. This game really is a players game as less luck than others - I suck at it:oops:

http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=diamond+lill+&sortby=name&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick

As for repair. Well, if I can learn to fix them, anyone can as a few years ago I didn't even know how to change a light bulb!
 
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EMs simply don't do it for me.:(

At a show I might play a game on one but for me the novelty wears off really quickly.

More power to you if you like them. Keep it quite and the prices will stay low;)
 
My first pinball purchase was an EM in about 1980...Bally OpPop Pop. For most of the time I owned it I didn't know any better and thought it was fun, in a quiet sort of way. I loved the Christian Marche pointy people artwork though. As some others have said, they are interesting as works of art. After buying two more EMs , Trail Drive and Miss O, I made the mistake of visiting a collector who kindly let me play his SS machines. This was less than a year ago and now I have bought Medusa, Barracora and Elektra ( yet to me collected). I now find my remaining EM, Trail Drive, boring in comparison to the excitement of the new machines. But I do disagree with those who've said that EMs seem intimidating to fix. I am not a very mechanically minded person but I just watched a lot of YouTube videos and found it easy to fix them. In contrast I find SS machines a mystery.
 
EM's are great if you don't want to get into a complex ruleset and just want to instinct play. I have EM, SS and DM which allows me to choose a game on how I am feeling at the time. The DM guys here in NZ are now looking back to EM's as they are realising they are different and can be quite challenging.
My EM's are Hayburners II ( wife likes the horsies) Old Chicago, Surf Champ, El Dorado, Top Score
 
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